Automatic picture taking machine

ABSTRACT

An automatic picture taking machine of the photo-booth kind has a camera within a housing and an automatic mechanism for taking the picture of a subject within a picture taking zone. For height adjustment purposes, the camera is moved bodily up and down so that a height adjustable seat within the booth is not required. The background may also be height adjustable and to achieve this the background may be provided on a sheet which is movable up and down between top and bottom rolls.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a machine, particularly a coin (or token orsimilar) operated machine, for automatic picture taking.

BACKGROUND ART

Photobooths or photomachines that are controlled without an operator byvending machine mechanisms as self-service units are well-known.

These self-service photobooth units require that the subject using thefacility produces "self-taken" photographs (or other recorded imagessuch as video tapes, etc.) that are thereafter delivered to the subject.However, prior to activating the unit, the subject must adjust a seat,(usually vertically up or down), so that the subject is in the field ofview covered by the camera lens. This is such that the subject's headwill be well within the camera's field of view.

Known photobooths have a mirror or target marked over or next to thecamera lens with instructions to the subject to be "eye-level" to thismark, and look at the mark when the picture is taken. In order tocompensate for the inaccuracy of this method and to make sure all of thesubject is within the camera's field of view, this field of view orpicture area is made to cover a wider field than is really necessary tocompensate for a subject not being in the correct position. This resultsin wasted areas in a finished photograph.

A child moving, or an improperly adjusted seat, can also result in awasted or unsatisfactory photograph.

One object of the present invention is to provide an automatic picturetaking machine with which height adjustment of the subject relative tothe camera can be effected in a particularly convenient and effectivemanner.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention therefore there isprovided an automatic picture taking machine comprising a housingcontaining a camera and an automatic apparatus which when actuatedcauses the camera to take a picture of a subject located in a zone nearto the housing characterised in that an adjustment device is providedfor adjusting the height of the camera relative to the subject by bodilymoving the camera in an upright direction.

With this arrangement, the whole image taking means or camera can bemoved bodily substantially vertically within the housing whereby theinvention eliminates the need to have a fixed and/or adjustable seat ina photobooth, and allows the subject to stand and not have to sit infront of the camera. Height adjustment can therefore be effectedconveniently without need to carry out seat adjustments and without needfor the subject to be in a seating position. It is however to beunderstood that if desired, a seat may be provided so that the machinecan be used with a seated subject and such seat may be adjustable.

The invention can also eliminate the potential danger of a fall from aseat by a subject which can be a problem with known photobooths,especially for a young child whose parent is outside the photobooth whenthe picture of the child is being taken. In particular, allowing thesubject to stand and moving the image taking means to the subject ratherthan the subject to the image taking means can eliminate a potentialhazard.

The correct field of view of image taking means to subject is suitablyachieved by the movement of the image taking means combined with aviewing means which preferably provides a display on an electronicmonitor, which display may be the same or approximately the same imageas that to be taken with the image taking means. This combinedarrangement can be moved as a unit by the adjustment device, tocompensate for different heights of subjects using the machine.

The adjustment device may be operable by the subject using controls inthe picture taking zone and/or by another person using controls outsidethe picture taking zone and/or automatically with a subject heightsensor, to adjust the camera and viewing means (where provided), and thepicture to be taken may be displayed on a monitor viewable in thepicture taking zone and/or on a monitor outside the zone. In the case ofa monitor in the picture taking zone, this may be movable with the imagetaking means and viewing means.

The aforesaid viewing means may comprise a device, such as a videocamera, separate from and disposed close to the picture-taking camera orits lens. Alternatively and preferably a video camera may be used bothas the picture-taking camera and the viewing means as a combined singleimage unit.

The picture-taking camera may be arranged to produce a photographicprint, a video tape or any other form of image recording as appropriateand as desired. Reference is made to PCT application PCT/GB 90/00306 (WO90/10251) which describes the use of a thermal printer to produce colourprints from a video camera in automatic picture taking equipment.

The movement (i.e. travel and position) effected by the adjustmentdevice is preferably controlled by electronic or mechanical means, or acombination of both. Such movement may take place on holding rails ortracks. Such holding rails or tracks may carry the camera, the saidviewing means, the said monitor in the picture taking zone (i.e. theabove mentioned single image unit), and preferably also lights forilluminating the subject.

The aforesaid image unit's range of travel and position is suitablyviewed through an electronic monitor as mentioned above, which monitormay be a television type sound and picture monitor, and/or receivers.When the subject being viewed on a monitor is in the proper position,then the travel of the image unit can be stopped and the picture takenthereby enabling distortion or "cut-off" of part of the subject in thepicture to be eliminated, since it can be ensured that the subject is inthe proper position of the field of view of the image taking means.

This controlled and monitored movement of the image unit means thatregardless of the height of the subject, and given a standard field ofview from a picture-taking lens, the height adjustment of that field ofview may be dependent only on the travel distance of the image unit. Inthis way pictures of very young children can be taken without the needfor them to use a vertically adjustable seat which can be dangerous asthey can easily become frightened, due to, for example, the flash orglare of light used to take the picture, and thereby perhaps fall offthe seat that has been extended up to accommodate their height.

The elimination of a seat also allows people confined to wheelchairs andothers who are disabled to use the machine. Furthermore, without a fixedseat the use of the machine by more than one subject at a time will bepossible so that two or more subjects can more easily appear in the samepicture.

The vertical travel of the image unit may be preset by the adjustmentdevice in measured steps, such as approximate height or even age foryoung children, or freely within the travel distance of the image unitdepending on the design of the mechanism controlling the movement of theimage unit and/or based on the adjustment manually made.

Preferably, a background is provided, and suitably means are provided tocontrol the movement of the background in relation to the image takingmeans. In consequence, if the design or decoration of the backgroundrequires the subject to be in an approximate or fixed position inrelation to that background, and if the height of the subject requiresheight adjustment to compensate for the subject height, then thebackground height can also be adjusted, and furthermore the positioningof the background can be viewed in the (or each) monitor as aforesaid(where this is provided) prior to the picture being taken.

Thus, and in accordance with a second aspect of the present inventionwhich is preferably, but not necessarily combined with the first aspectof the invention, there is provided an automatic picture-taking machinecomprising a housing containing a camera and an automatic apparatuswhich when activated causes the camera to take a picture of a subjectlocated in a zone near to the housing, said zone having a back structurethereto supporting a background display, characterised in that thebackground display is adjustable in an upright direction.

The background suitably comprises a sheet supported between upper andlower rolls so that it can be wound therebetween.

The arrangement may be such that different regions or parts of the sheetcan be stopped in a selected position thereby allowing a choice of morethan one background from the sheet. Thus the upright adjustment of thebackground display may be for the purpose of changing the display.Alternatively or additionally it may be for the purpose of adjusting theheight of a particular display relative to the camera. It is evenpossible for there to be only a single background display which ismovable up and down for height adjustment purposes.

The movement of the background for height adjustment purposes relativeto the camera may be controlled so that as the image taking means ismoved by the adjustment device, the background is also moved.Alternatively, the background can be controlled independently, and inparticular can be adjusted manually, or automatically for example by aninfrared focusing device that will measure the distance from the deviceto the top of the subject, and correctly position the background withregard to that distance.

Lighting for viewing and/or picture taking purposes is preferablyprovided and may be arranged to be varied by user controls according tothe position of the aforesaid image unit, and the above mentionedbackground and these lighting changes can be seen on the above mentionedmonitor prior to taking a picture.

The user may have a choice as to the control of the image unit,lighting, background and the actual taking of the picture by usingcontrols outside the picture taking zone, or controls inside the zone.Controls inside the zone can be activated by the subject standing in thecorrect position (which may be indicated) inside the zone at the desiredapproximate picture taking position. Alternatively, controls outside thezone can be operated by another party.

The controls inside the zone may include a footswitch or foot actuatedsensor on the floor in the desired subject to camera lens horizontalposition in front of the lens, and pressure on this footswitch may starta sequence of image unit movement, as well as varying lights and movingthe background, with a final push of the footswitch activating an imagerecording or picture-taking sequence.

Instructions for the use of the machine can suitably be given on theaforesaid monitor. These instructions can be selective depending on theselection of the manual control or control function outside or insidethe zone.

As mentioned above, height adjustment effected by the adjustment devicemay be of a continuous or step wise nature and this may be within asingle range, or may be within a range selected from different ranges.Thus, for example, if the subjects' age range is selected then the imageunit can move to the pre-programmed position that corresponds to, forexample, a child's height. Also, the aforesaid monitor suitably givesinstructions to a child to watch the screen, look for the birdy, or seea cartoon, thus relaxing the subject while at the same time instructinga person observing the child from the aforesaid monitor to be ready totake a picture when the child laughs. However, the image can also be"taken" or recorded automatically if this option is selected.

Selecting another age group, or using a different classification likeheight, male or female, the arrangement can also be programmed for thedisplay of different instructions that would be shown on the aforesaidmonitors both inside and outside the picture-taking zone with or withoutsound, such as verbal instructions, music, etc.

The aforesaid outside monitor screen is preferably programmed to play asa point of sale display until a token or money is inserted into a coinmechanism of the machine and the unit is activated for a picture-takingor image recording sequence.

Sensor means (preferably in the form of a proximity or mass sensor suchas that used in certain types of intrusion alarms or similar devices)that detects a body mass nearby is suitably incorporated in the machine,so if a person comes near the machine, the presence of the person's bodymass triggers the sensor means which may turn on the aforesaid outsidemonitor and a video tape, and starts the transmission of the abovementioned point of sale material on the monitor outside the zone.Alternatively, when a subject enters the zone, a video recording may beactivated, for example, to give the subject instructions on how todeposit his token or money into a vending machine mechanism of themachine.

An autofocus mechanism may be incorporated as part of the aforesaidimage unit to ensure that the camera lens is focused on the subject orsubjects within the picture-taking zone. If the subject moves too closeto the lens then the picture-taking sequence may be interrupted and thesubject instructed to move to the proper position at which focusing ispossible. This also ensures the subject will be in the proper positionto use, for example, the aforesaid footswitch control inside thepicture-taking zone to start the image recording sequence.

Use of the aforesaid inside monitor so that the subject can view himself(or the person using the outside monitor can view the subject) can alsogive the possibility of recording images with various special effects,such as electronic or optically generated enhancements, distortions andother changes in the image or combinations of the image shown on themonitor, which can then be recorded on media such as magnetic tape,film, paper, etc. These images in conjunction and/or combined with theimage of the subject can then be shown on the monitor or monitors priorto being recorded or stored on the selected media for a hard copy print,tape, etc.

The machine of the invention may be in the form of a booth whereby thepicture-taking zone is a partially or completely enclosed region infront of the housing containing the camera and associated apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described further by way of example only andwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic picture-taking machine inthe form of a photobooth in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention, parts of the photobooth being omitted for the sake ofclarity;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the photobooth with parts cut away; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing components within ahousing of the booth.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, the machine is in the form of afloor-standing booth 10 having an upstanding main box structure 11, anupstanding rear box structure 12, a roof 13 linking the tops of the boxstructures 11, 12, a floor 14 linking the bottom of the box structures11, 12, and a side wall 15 linking one side of the main box structure 11and the corresponding side of the rear box structure 12.

A picture-taking zone 16 is defined between the box structures 11, 12and is closed on one side by the side wall 15. The opposite side of thepicture-taking zone 16 may be wholly open as shown, or there may be anopenable closure arrangement such as a curtain or a door extendingthereacross. The picture-taking zone 16 is dimensioned to allow at leastone person to stand between the box structures 11, 12 close to or incontact with the rear box structure 12.

The rear box structure 12 has an outwardly facing opaque wall 17, and aninwardly facing wall 18 consisting of (or incorporating in its centralregion) a transparent (or translucent) panel 46. The enclosure definedbetween the walls 17, 18 is closed at opposite sides and contains amovable background arrangement described in more detail hereinafter.

The main box structure 11 has an outwardly facing opaque wall 19, aninwardly facing wall 20 consisting of (or incorporating in its centralregion) a transparent panel, and opaque side walls 21. The enclosuredefined between these walls 19, 20, 21 contains a platform 22 which ismovable up and down along a substantially vertical plane along holdingrails or tracks 41 (as described in more detail hereinafter).

On the platform 22 there are mounted: a video camera 24, an electronicdisplay monitor (VDU) 25, lights 26, a focusing device 27 and aproximity detector 28. The platform 22 has a front opaque wall 29 withapertures through which the camera 24, VDU 25, lights 26, focusingdevice 27 and detector 28 face horizontally forwardly and are exposedthrough the transparent panel in the front wall 20. The panel in thewall 20 may be smoked or half silvered so that a person within thepicture-taking zone 16 can see the monitor 25 (at least when this isactivated), and is exposed to the camera 24, lights 26, focusing device27 and proximity detector 28, but such person cannot readily see thefront wall 29 of the platform 22 or other articles and structures withinthe box structure 11 above and below the wall 29.

Within the box structure 11 beneath the platform 22 there is fixedlymounted a computerised control system (not shown). The camera 24, VDU25, lights 26, focusing device 27, and proximity detector 28 areconnected to this control system.

On the front wall 20 of the main box structure 11 there is a slot 30leading to a coin (or token or similar) mechanism within the boxstructure 11, and this mechanism is connected to the control system. Thecontrol system also has connected thereto: manual controls 31 on thefront wall 20 of the box structure 11, an overhead proximity sensor 32in the rear part of the under surface of the roof 13, a foot switch 33at the rear part of the floor, a motor drive mechanism (not shown) forthe background arrangement, a VDU 34 mounted at a fixed position withinthe box structure 11 and visible from the outside of the booth on theside wall 21 of the box structure 11 adjacent to the open side of thepicture-taking zone 16, manually operable controls 35 beneath the VDU,and a proximity detector 36 adjacent the VDU 34. The side wall 21 of thebox structure 11 also contains a dispense outlet 37 and within the boxstructure 11 there is a printer connected to the control system andarranged to dispense prints to the outlet 37.

The movable background arrangement comprises upper and lower horizontalrollers 38, 39 between which runs a sheet 40 immediately behind thetransparent panel 46 of the wall 18. The surface of the sheet 40 can beseen within the picture-taking zone through the panel 46 of the wall 18and it may be provided with different regions each having thereon arespective pattern and/or colouration and/or pictured and/or printedarea. The above mentioned motor drive mechanism (not shown) is connectedto the rollers 38, 39 so that the sheet 40 can be wound from one to theother of the rollers (in either direction) whereby the different regionscan be successively selected as desired, and also a selected region canbe moved upwards and downwards for height adjustment purposes.

Within the main box structure 11, the platform 22 is mounted betweenfour rigidly fixed upright guide tracks 41. The platform 22 has thereonan upstanding framework 23 which supports the above mentioned front wall29 and at four bottom corners and four top corners there are rollers 42which locate within the guide tracks 41 so as to be retained therewithinwhilst being freely movable therealong. There is also an upright fixedtoothed rack 43 extending centrally between the two rearmost guidetracks 41. On the platform 22 there is fixed a drive motor 44 which isconnected to the control system and which is drivably linked to the rack43 via a pinion gear 45. The platform 22 can be moved up and down in acarefully controlled manner by appropriate driving of the motor 44. Whenthe motor 44 is deactuated, the platform 22 may be held in position bythe gearing of the rack and pinion arrangement (and any associatedgears) and/or by a brake mechanism or the like (not shown).

Prior to picture-taking, the platform 22 may be located in itslast-adjusted position, or it may be located in a predeterminedmid-point waiting position. Alternatively, provision may be made forpre-setting the position of the platform 22 using the manual controls31, 35, for example by reference to the approximate height, or age ofthe subject. This pre-setting may move the platform 22 to a mid-point,or other point which is an acceptable starting point, and/or is within arange of travel appropriate to, the set height or age.

The subject who wishes to take a picture enters the booth and standsfacing the front wall 20 with his back to the wall 18. Before or afteractuation of the machine by insertion of coins or tokens into the coinmechanism through the slot 30 the subject can move the platform 22 upand down by operating the controls 31. The video camera 24 operates totake a picture of the subject, as illuminated by the lights 26, and thepicture is displayed to the subject on the VDU 25. The subject is giventhe opportunity to change the background (by selection of a desired ofthe regions), using the manual controls 31. When the subject issatisfied with the displayed picture, he can operate the controls 31 toinitiate a picture printing sequence. That is, the output of the camera24 is fed to the printer and the resulting print is dispensed throughthe outlet 37.

The outside monitor 34 may show the same picture as the inside monitor25 and functions such as height control of the platform 22 and/orbackground selection and/or picture printing can be controlled by aperson other than the subject using the outside controls 35, instead ofthe controls 31. This is particularly helpful where the subject is asmall child.

The lights 26 (which may be flashlights or floodlights) may be ofpredetermined intensity and distribution for picture-taking. If desiredhowever provision may be made for adjusting intensity and/ordistribution using the controls 31 and/or the controls 35 by referenceto the picture on the VDU 25 or the VDU 34.

With regard to the background, each selected region may adopt apredetermined position behind the panel 46 of the wall 18. Alternativelyeach selected region may be height adjustable. This may be effectedautomatically in correspondence with the height adjustment of theplatform 22, and/or it may be manually height adjustable using thecontrols 31 or the controls 35.

If desired the sheet 40 of the background arrangement may have only onekind of background, instead of different, selectable regions, in whichcase the winding of the sheet between the rollers is used for heightadjustment purposes only, this being achieved as described in thepreceding paragraph.

One or more of the height adjustments described above may be effectedautomatically using the proximity detector 32 (which may be an infraredfocusing device) which acts to measure the distance from the detector 32of the top of the subject standing in front of the background. Thecomputed distance may be used to initially pre-set the approximateheight of the platform 22 and/or to effect the final adjustment of theheight of the platform prior to picture printing and/or to adjust theheight of the background relative to the subject in the booth.

One or more of the control functions mentioned above may be effected byoperation of the foot switch 33 which may be single acting or multipleacting. The foot switch 33 may be located at the correct position inrelation to the proper subject to camera lens horizontal separationwhereby the subject can correctly position himself or herself byappropriate foot contact with the switch. By way of example, pressure onthe foot switch 33 may start the movement of the platform 22, and mayalso vary the light intensity and move the background. A final push ofthe switch 33 may then actuate the machine to print a picture. Theseoperations may be in accordance with a predetermined sequence.

The outside proximity detector 36 may be an infrared or mass sensor orthe like arranged to detect a person who is near to the machine so as tooperate a point of sale display or `attract mode` on the VDU 34. Theproximity detector 28 on the inside may be of similar form and mayoperate, when actuated, to initiate a display on the VDU 25 givinginstructions with regard to the operation of the booth.

The focusing device 27 may be of an ultrasonic or infrared kind and maybe arranged to effect automatic focusing of the lens of the camera 24 sothat a clear, sharp image of the subject is automatically and reliablyachieved prior to picture printing.

With the embodiment described, the machine is particularly efficient andeffective in that a picture can be taken of a subject without wastingany area in the resultant photograph, since the subject's head can beaccurately defined within the field of view of the camera, by looking atthe VDU 25 and moving the camera as appropriate.

With regard to the printing apparatus this may be of the kind describedin PCT application WO 90/10251 to which reference is made for furtherdetails of such apparatus and of other features which may beincorporated in the present invention as appropriate. Other printingapparatus may be used. Also, if desired, the arrangement may be suchthat as image recording such as a disc or video tape is produced anddispensed, rather than a visual print, the visual print orrepresentation being produced subsequently externally of the screen.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended tobe restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are describedby way of example only. Thus, for example, any suitable mechanism may beused for moving the platform 22 instead of, or additionally to the rackand pinion described. In particular, the platform 22 may be lifted andlowered with a pulley or winch system and/or hydraulically orpneumatically using piston and cylinder actuators.

With regard to the background arrangement instead of using a sheet woundbetween two rollers it would be possible to used an endless band or anyother suitable arrangement capable of giving an actual or simulatedheight adjustable display.

With the invention as described above, the image taking means (i.e. thecamera) 24 is movable bodily in its entirety upwards and downwards,preferably together with one or more other devices which need to be (orpreferably should be) height adjusted, namely: the monitor 25 viewablewithin the picture taking zone 16, the lights 26, the focusing device 27and the proximity detector 28. The camera 24 (and indeed also the (oreach) other bodily moved device can therefore be held in a fixed angulardisposition irrespective of the adjustment movement, which dispositionmay be a fixed horizontal disposition (or a fixed small angularrelationship to the horizontal) suited to direct optical scanning of thesubject (i.e. along a straight optical path). Alternatively, suchdisposition may be vertical or at a large angular relationship to thehorizontal with mirrors being used to permit scanning of the subjectthrough an angular optical path. It is however also possible toimplement a change in angular disposition during bodily movement wherebyfor example, as the camera is moved in the upright direction it alsotilts. Similarly, as the camera (and the or each other bodily moveddevice) moves in the upright direction it may be held in a fixed lateraldisposition so that movement is confined to movement along a vertical(or substantially) path. Alternatively, the arrangement may be such thatthe upright movement is accompanied by appreciable lateral movement forexample by moving the camera along a path appreciably inclined to thevertical (which path may be straight or curved or stepped) and/or byintroducing the possibility of a lateral (e.g. horizontal orsubstantially horizontal) displacement at one or more positions in theupright path of movement of the camera.

The above mentioned changes in angular disposition and/or lateraldisplacement may be effected in a predetermined manner and/or inresponse to automatic control (e.g. triggered by a height sensor orfocusing device) and/or by manual control.

We claim:
 1. An automatic picture taking machine comprising a housingcontaining a camera and an automatic apparatus which when actuatedcauses the camera to take a picture of a subject located in a zone nearto the housing, a viewing means for producing a display of a picture tobe taken by the camera, an adjustment device for adjusting the height ofthe camera relative to the subject by bodily moving the camera, thecamera being a video camera which acts both for picture taking purposesand as said viewing means, and lighting for illuminating said zone,wherein said adjustment device is operable for adjusting the height ofthe lighting together with the height of the camera.
 2. An automaticpicture taking machine comprising a housing containing a camera and anautomatic apparatus which when activated causes the camera to take apicture of a subject located in a zone near to the housing, said zonehaving a back structure thereto having at least one background displayregion, said structure being movable upwards and downwards to adjust theheight of a display region relative to the subject, said backgrounddisplay being linked to an adjustment device so that height adjustmentof the display is effected automatically in correspondence with heightadjustment of the camera.
 3. A machine according to claim 2 wherein theback structure comprises a sheet movable upwards and downwards betweenrolls.
 4. A machine according to claim 2 wherein the back structure hasa plurality of background display regions and the back structure is alsomovable upwards and downwards for selecting individual said regions. 5.An automatic picture taking machine comprising:a housing, an image unitincluding a video camera supported on a support structure within thehousing, said support structure being mounted on said housing so thatthe image unit is movable bodily in its entirety along a path upwardsand downwards, an automatic apparatus actuable to cause the camera totake a picture of a subject located in a zone near to the housing, aviewing means connected to the video camera to produce a display of saidpicture on an electronic monitor, a print producing means connected tothe video camera and operable to produce a print of said picture, thevideo camera acting both for producing said display and for producingsaid print, and an adjustment means operable to effect said bodilymovement of the image unit to adjust the height of the video camera withthe image unit relative to the subject.
 6. A machine according to claim5 wherein the adjustment means is operable for adjusting the height ofthe viewing means together with the camera.
 7. A machine according toclaim 5 wherein the viewing means is arranged to produce said display onan electronic monitor which is located outside the picture taking zone.8. A machine according to claim 5 wherein said support structure of theimage unit is movable upwards and downwards on rails or tracks.
 9. Amachine according to claim 5 wherein the height adjustment is effectedby the adjustment device by movement of the image unit upwards anddownwards in a continuous manner within a predetermined range.
 10. Amachine according to claim 5 wherein the height adjustment is effectedby the adjustment means by movement of the image unit upwards anddownwards stepwise between predetermined positions.
 11. A machineaccording to claim 5 wherein said zone has a back structure theretohaving at least one background display region, the back structurecomprising a sheet movable upwards and downwards between rolls.
 12. Amachine according to claim 5 wherein said zone has a back structurethereto having at least one background display region, an adjustmentmeans is provided for adjusting the height of the camera relative to thesubject, and the back structure is linked to the adjustment means sothat height adjustment of the display region is effected automaticallyin correspondence with height adjustment of the camera.
 13. A machineaccording to claim 5 wherein user controls are provided for effectingheight adjustments.
 14. A machine according to claim 13 wherein saidcontrols include a foot control inside the picture-taking zone.
 15. Amachine according to claim 13 wherein said controls include manualcontrols both inside and outside the picture-taking zone whereby heightadjustments can be effected optionally from inside or outside the zone.16. A machine according to claim 5 wherein one or more height sensorsare provided within the picture-taking zone whereby one or more controlfunctions are arranged to be effected automatically.
 17. A machineaccording to claim 5 wherein the machine is in the form of a coin (ortoken) operated booth.
 18. A machine according to claim 8 wherein theheight adjustment is effected by the adjustment means by movement of theimage unit upwards and downwards in a continuous manner within apredetermined range.
 19. A machine according to claim 8 wherein theheight adjustment is effected by the adjustment means by movement of theimage unit upwards and downwards stepwise between predeterminedpositions.
 20. An automatic picture taking machine comprising:a housing,an image unit including a video camera and an electronic monitorsupported on a support structure within the housing, said supportstructure being mounted on said housing so that the image unit ismovable bodily in its entirety along a path upwards and downwards, anautomatic apparatus actuable to cause the camera to take a picture of asubject located in a zone near to the housing, a viewing means connectedto the video camera to produce a display of said picture on saidelectronic monitor, a print producing means connected to the videocamera and operable to produce a print of said picture, the video cameraacting both for producing said display and for producing said print, andan adjustment means operable to effect said bodily movement of the imageunit to adjust the height of the video camera and the electronic monitorwith the image unit relative to the subject.
 21. A machine according toclaim 20 wherein the viewing means is arranged to produce said displayon an electronic monitor which is located outside the picture takingzone.
 22. A machine according to claim 20 wherein lighting is providedfor illuminating said zone characterised in that the adjustment means isoperable for adjusting the height of the lighting together with thecamera.
 23. A machine according to claim 20 wherein said supportstructure of the image unit is movable upwards and downwards on rails ortracks.
 24. A machine according to claim 20 wherein the heightadjustment is effected by the adjustment means by movement of the imageunit upwards and downwards in a continuous manner within a predeterminedrange.
 25. A machine according to claim 20 wherein the height adjustmentis effected by the adjustment means by movement of the image unitupwards and downwards stepwise between predetermined positions.
 26. Amachine according to claim 20 wherein said zone has a back structurethereto having at least one background display region, an adjustmentmeans is provided for adjusting the height of the camera relative to thesubject, and the back structure is linked to the adjustment means sothat height adjustment of the display region is effected automaticallyin correspondence with height adjustment of the camera.
 27. A machineaccording to claim 20 wherein one or more height sensors are providedwithin the picture-taking zone whereby one or more control functions arearranged to be effected automatically.
 28. A machine according to claim20 wherein one or more height sensors are provided within thepicture-taking zone whereby one or more control functions are arrangedto be effected automatically.
 29. A machine according to claim 20wherein the machine is in the form of a coin (or token) operated booth.